One skilled in the art of footwear manufacturing and design will realize that a midsole component of a shoe may primarily serve as a focus of the shoe's cushioning system. Generally, midsoles are manufactured from foam and provide a consistent firmness throughout. Midsoles constructed of phylon must be “stabilized” to its final size prior to being incorporated into the rest of a shoe. Phylon stabilization involves cooling the phylon, often in an oven in which the temperature is gradually reduced.